SafetyPaperwork
Excavation and earthworks · Australia

SWMS for post hole boring

By Safety PaperworkBuilt from Safe Work Australia and state regulator guidance · How we write and check theseUpdated

Yes. Post hole boring usually includes high risk construction work (work in an area with movement of powered mobile plant), so a SWMS is required by law before work starts.

It must list the hazards, the controls and how they will be put in place, monitored and reviewed, and the workers must be consulted and sign before starting. The main hazards are hitting underground services, being hit by mobile plant, falling through a floor opening or void and public entering the work area.

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SWMS example: post hole boring

This is a complete SWMS for post hole boring, with 5 job steps. Open it in the builder to add your site, crew and signatures, change anything, and download a PDF. Or download the free Word template below and fill it in by hand.

Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS)
Post hole boring and pier holes · Excavation and earthworks · Example
Document SWMS-001 · Rev 1

High risk construction work covered

Work in an area with movement of powered mobile plant

Job steps, hazards and controls

#Job stepHazardsRisk beforeControlsRisk after
1Get BYDA plans and mark every hole
  • Hitting underground services
  • Gas and fuel lines
Extreme
  • Keep machine buckets well clear of marked services and use a spotter. Isolate
  • Scan the area with a cable locator before digging and mark services on the ground. Engineering
  • Hand dig or vacuum excavate to expose services before using a machine near them. Engineering
  • Lodge a free BYDA (Before You Dig Australia) request and get the plans before any digging. Administrative
  • Keep plans or locate tickets on site and check them again if the work area grows. Administrative
  • If you hit a service, stop, get everyone clear, and call the owner and emergency services. Administrative
  • Wear safety boots, gloves and hi-vis when digging. PPE
  • Isolate and purge the line before work, with the owner's approval. Eliminate
  • Lock off and tag the isolation valve. Isolate
  • Check for leaks with a gas detector before and during work, and ventilate the area. Engineering
  • Only licensed gasfitters work on gas lines. Administrative
  • Remove ignition sources: no smoking, no hot work and no sparking tools near the line. Administrative
  • Know where the shut-off valve is and what to do if a leak happens. Administrative
  • Wear safety glasses and gloves, and keep a fire extinguisher close by. PPE
Medium
2Set up the auger machine on firm ground with an exclusion zone
  • Being hit by mobile plant
  • Contact with overhead power lines
Extreme
  • Separate people and plant with barriers, exclusion zones and marked walkways. Isolate
  • Use plant with working reversing alarms, cameras and lights. Engineering
  • Have a traffic management plan showing plant routes, loading areas and pedestrian paths. Administrative
  • Use a spotter when reversing or working near people. Administrative
  • Make eye contact with the operator before going near. Stay out of the swing radius. Administrative
  • Operators hold a High Risk Work Licence where needed (for example forklift) and are trained and assessed on other plant. Administrative
  • Do a pre-start check on each machine every day and record it. Administrative
  • Wear hi-vis clothing and a hard hat. PPE
  • Ask the network operator to turn off, move or insulate the lines before work starts. Eliminate
  • Use non-conductive (fibreglass) ladders near any power lines. Substitute
  • Mark the safe distance with flags, tape or goal posts and keep all plant and people outside it. Isolate
  • Keep out of the No Go Zone set by your state and the network operator, or get written approval and a safety observer. In NSW and Qld, untrained people and plant stay at least 3 m from lines on poles up to 132 kV, 6 m up to 330 kV and 8 m above 330 kV. In Victoria the limits differ, and work within 8 m of tower lines needs a spotter and the network operator's permission. Administrative
  • Use a dedicated spotter whenever plant moves or raises anything near lines. Administrative
  • Treat all lines as live. If plant touches a line, stay in the cab and keep everyone well away. Administrative
Medium
3Keep clear of the turning auger, no loose clothing
  • Injury from power tools
  • Being hit by mobile plant
Extreme
  • Keep all guards fitted and working. Never tie back or remove a guard. Engineering
  • Clamp or secure the work piece. Do not hold it by hand. Engineering
  • Only trained, competent people use power tools, following the maker's instructions. Administrative
  • Check tools before use. Unplug or remove the battery before changing blades or bits. Administrative
  • No loose clothing, jewellery or long hair near spinning parts. Administrative
  • Wear safety glasses and hearing protection. Do not wear loose gloves on drills or other rotating tools. PPE
  • Being hit by mobile plant: see step 2 for the full controls Administrative
Medium
4Cover open holes straight away
  • Falling through a floor opening or void
  • Public entering the work area
Extreme
  • Cover every hole and penetration with a fixed, secured cover marked "HOLE" or "DANGER". Isolate
  • Put guardrails with toe boards around stairwells, lift shafts, voids and open edges. Isolate
  • Install stairs early and fit temporary handrails as soon as they go in. Engineering
  • Never remove a cover or guardrail without approval. Put it back straight away. Administrative
  • Inspect covers and barriers daily and after other trades have been through. Administrative
  • Keep lighting good enough to see openings, especially on lower floors and in the evening. Administrative
  • Use a harness clipped to a rated anchor when working right next to an open void. PPE
  • Fence off the site with secure temporary fencing and lock the gates when you leave. Isolate
  • Give pedestrians a safe, marked path around the work, with ramps for prams and wheelchairs. Isolate
  • Use hoarding, covered walkways or catch fans where work is above public areas. Engineering
  • Put signs at each entry: site name, contact number and "No unauthorised entry". Administrative
  • Make the site safe at the end of each day: cover holes, lower plant, remove ladders and lock tools away. Administrative
  • Use a spotter when moving plant or materials across public paths. Administrative
Medium
5Spread or remove spoil and clean up
  • Poor housekeeping and waste
Medium
  • Order materials to size and send packaging back where you can. Eliminate
  • Put skip bins and waste chutes close to the work. Engineering
  • Clean as you go, and do a full clean up at the end of each day. Administrative
  • Keep exits, stairs and walkways clear at all times. Administrative
  • Stack materials neatly on level ground, away from edges. Administrative
  • Wear gloves when handling waste. PPE
Low

PPE

Steel cap bootsHi-vis shirt or vestHearing protection (earmuffs or plugs)Work glovesHard hatSafety glasses

Plant and equipment

Excavator: Verification of competency (VOC) for the machineSkid steer (Bobcat): Verification of competency (VOC) for the machineHand tools

Permits and plans

Excavation / dig permit

Emergency

Call 000. Add the nearest hospital, the assembly point and the first aider for your site.

Sign-off

Supervisor and every worker sign to confirm they have read and understood this SWMS.

Free SWMS template for post hole boring

Word (.docx) and PDF, A4 landscape, no email needed. Fill in your site details, then print or send it.

Word template (.docx)PDF template

Make yours in 2 minutes

Same document, filled in for your job. Answer a few yes or no questions, the crew signs on the phone, and you send the PDF.

Start this SWMS

Pre-start checklist for post hole boring

Tick these off before work starts. They come from the hazards, permits and equipment in this job.

The safe sequence of work

  1. Get BYDA plans and mark every hole
  2. Set up the auger machine on firm ground with an exclusion zone
  3. Keep clear of the turning auger, no loose clothing
  4. Cover open holes straight away
  5. Spread or remove spoil and clean up

Hazards to watch on post hole boring

The hazards most specific to this job, and the step where each one comes up.

Step 2Contact with overhead power linesA ladder, EWP, crane, tipper or long length of material touches or gets close to an overhead line and electrocutes people.
Step 1Gas and fuel linesDamaging or opening a gas or fuel line causes a leak, fire or explosion.
Step 1Hitting underground servicesDigging, drilling or driving pegs hits a buried power cable, gas pipe or water main, causing electrocution, explosion or flooding.
Step 4Falling through a floor opening or voidA worker steps into an open hole, stairwell, lift shaft or penetration and falls to the level below.
Step 2, 3Being hit by mobile plantExcavators, loaders, telehandlers and trucks run over or crush workers, especially when reversing or slewing.
Step 3Injury from power toolsDrills, saws, routers and sanders kick back, catch clothing or throw debris, causing cuts, broken bones and eye injuries.
Almost certainLikelyPossibleUnlikelyRareHow bad it could be: Insignificant to CatastrophicBA
Highest risk on post hole boring: Extreme before controls (B), down to Medium after controls (A), on the Australia 5 by 5 risk matrix (possible and catastrophic becomes unlikely and moderate).

What changes on your site

This example covers the job itself. Your site may add more. Add controls for any of these that apply (the builder asks you these as yes or no questions):

  • Will anyone work more than 2 metres off the ground?
  • Will anyone use a ladder or stepladder?
  • Will anyone work on a roof?
  • Is there a skylight, clear sheet, fibro or other fragile roofing?
  • Will you use a scaffold or mobile tower?

Licences and legal requirements in Australia

This task can involve these high risk construction work categories under the WHS Regulations:

  • Work in an area with movement of powered mobile plant

Equipment on this job that needs a licence, ticket or training:

  • Excavator: Verification of competency (VOC) for the machine
  • Skid steer (Bobcat): Verification of competency (VOC) for the machine

A SWMS must be prepared before any high risk construction work starts. It must list the high risk work, the hazards and risks, the control measures, and how those controls will be put in place, monitored and reviewed. It must be easy for the workers to read and understand.

Rules that apply: WHS Regulation 2011, Part 5.1 Plant; WHS Regulation 2011, Part 4.4 Falls.

Each state has its own regulator and some extra rules: New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia and Australian Capital Territory.

Why SWMS get rejected

Principal contractors send documents back for these reasons. This example avoids them, but check yours too.

  • It is generic: another site address, tasks that are not on this job, or no sign it was reviewed for this site. WorkSafe WA says a generic SWMS may not meet the regulations unless it is reviewed and amended for the workplace.
  • The HRCW boxes are not ticked, or the ticks do not match the tasks (for example a roof job with no falls box ticked).
  • Falls are controlled only by "be careful", training or a harness, with no edge protection or scaffold and no reason why higher controls are not reasonably practicable.
  • Workers will clip on to a harness but there is no rescue plan for someone left hanging.
  • The "how controls are implemented, monitored and reviewed" part is missing, or it says the same thing on every row.
  • No worker sign-on, no person responsible for compliance, or a date given to the principal contractor that is before they actually received it.
  • Licence or White Card details are missing for workers operating plant or doing licensed high risk work.

Questions

Do I need a SWMS for post hole boring?

Yes. Post hole boring usually includes high risk construction work (work in an area with movement of powered mobile plant), so a SWMS is required by law before work starts.

Who signs the SWMS?

The person conducting the business (PCBU) or their supervisor prepares it with the workers, and every worker doing the high risk work signs to show they were consulted and understand it. Give a copy to the principal contractor before work starts.

How long do I keep it?

Keep this SWMS, and every revised version, until the high risk construction work is finished, where workers and inspectors can see it on site. If a notifiable incident happens during the work, keep it for at least 2 years after the incident.

What PPE is needed for post hole boring?

Usually Steel cap boots, Hi-vis shirt or vest, Hearing protection (earmuffs or plugs), Work gloves, Hard hat, Safety glasses. The site rules may add more, so check with the principal contractor.

More excavation and earthworks SWMS

SWMSTrenching10 stepsSWMSFooting Excavation5 stepsSWMSSite Cut6 stepsSWMSPool Excavation8 stepsSWMSStormwater Drainage Installation5 stepsSWMSBackfill and Compaction5 steps

Related jobs in other trades

ConcretingConcrete Cutting and Core DrillingAlso involves hitting underground servicesRoofingGutter ReplacementAlso involves public entering the work areaConcretingConcrete Slab PourAlso involves contact with overhead power linesRoofingRoof Tile ReplacementAlso involves contact with overhead power linesConcretingFormworkAlso involves being hit by mobile plantScaffoldingScaffold ErectionAlso involves contact with overhead power lines

Toolbox talks for this job

Toolbox talkOverhead Power LinesToolbox talkExtension Leads and Power ToolsToolbox talkBefore You Dig: Underground ServicesToolbox talkMobile Plant and Spotters

Blank SWMS template: free SWMS templates. Also for other countries: United Kingdom (RAMS) · United States (JHA) · Canada (FLHA)

Sources